Review of A Distant Star

Captain Sheridan's first commanding officer (and a dear friend) docks at Babylon 5 after five years "on the rim", out in space helping to "build jump gates" in his "explorer-class" space vessel, the Cortez. After some friendly banter and re-acquaintance between old friends, Capt. Jack Maynard (good ole Russ Tamblyn; wonderful to see him in such a role) and Sheridan talk about life in space and in one location at B5…this conversation has Sheridan re-evaluating his place in the universe. Does Sheridan want to "be a bureaucrat", some political "functionary" stuck at a space station serving as a voice of reason between races who have petty squabbles over living near each other? Wouldn't he prefer to lead an explorer ship out in the universe somewhere? Sheridan has deep conversations with Ivanova and Ambassador Delenn about his place in B5, with the former questioning if he believes he should be there and the latter telling him that perhaps he's meant to be where he is at. For a while, this felt like Straczynski and company were taking the day off, particularly when the subplot involving Dr. Franklin scolding his top officers (Sheridan, Ivanova, Garibaldi, even Delenn) about needing to eat right (not a diet, mind you, but a "health plan") keeps popping up occasionally, but "A Distant Star" does throw the diehards of the show a bone with the re-appearance of the Shadows, hanging around in hyperspace to disrupt the rescue squadron trying to find the Cortez when its navigational controls have been damaged due a malfunction. At this point, I don't think I had even mentioned Robert Rusler despite the fact that he had joined the B5 cast at the start of the second season. He has a pivotal part to play in this episode, at least, part of the squadron sent after the Cortez. As Warren Keffer, he is to "sheepdog" the Cortez into the proper coordinates to return to B5 station for repairs but sees his command flight squadron officer, Galus (Art Kimbro) killed by the Shadows (it haunts him). Keffer will take Galus' place, as Ivanova tells him he's got the command, after he luckily sees the Shadows jump, fixing his ship on their coordinates prior to said jump (it would appear he was lost in hyperspace forever, his navigational controls temporarily offline). "A Distant Star" is still second-tier B5, though, functioning as a buffer amongst the more intense/importance episodes furthering the plot of the Shadows and their impact on the B5 station. This does comment on the Minbari unease with Delenn because of her more human features (she basically looks human with Minbari features); basically, they want to seek another Ambassador from the homeworld to represent them on the station. She holds her resolve, and it's clear she has an important part (as the prophesy seems to indicate) not yet come to fruition. Sinclair's self-doubt is purposely naked before us, yet there's no doubt he has a reason for being on this particular station at such a crucial time in B5's history.